Illuminated telephone booth



Oct. 16, 1962 P. H. SHERRON ILLUMINATED TELEPHONE BOOTH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 18, 1960 F l G. e.

INVENTOR.

34 PERCIVAL H. SHERRON ATTORNEYS Oct. 16, 1962 P. H. SHERRON Filed April18, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 T 4 e o 2 l 22 4 s 34 35 FlG. 3.

INVEN TOR.

PE RCIVAL H. SHERRON BY ATTORN EYS P. H. SHERRON ILLUMINATED TELEPHONEBOOTH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 18, 1960 FI G. 4.

INVENTOR. PERCIVAL H. SHERRON ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflice3,059,102 Patented Oct. 16, 1962 3,059,102 ILLUMINATED TELEPHONE BOOTHPercival H. Sherron, Shenon Metallic Corp., 1201 Flushng Ave., Jamaica37, N.Y. Filed Apr. 18, 1960, Ser. Ne. 23,031 1 Clain. (Ci. 240-2) Theinvention relates to the lighting of telephone booths, and moreparticularly to a novel arrangement whereby the operation of thelighting can be Conveniently converted between control by a door switchand control by the outdoor light intensity.

In recent years the installation of telephone booths, both indoors andoutdoors, has become more widespread, and frequently such booths areplaced at remote outdoor areas such as roadsides, parks and beaches. Dueto such remoteness `the booth lighting generally is controlledautomatically, either by opening and closing of the door or by daylightintensity Where the area surrounding a booth is at night unlighted anddark, it is desirable to light up the booth and a sign, -for exampleTelephone, so as to indicate its location and act as a guide. On theother hand, where the booth is visible due to surrounding lights,control of the lighting by a door switch may be satisfactory. However,whichever the case, the booth is normally constructed, wired andprovided with means for controlling the lighting in one manner only. I-fthe booth is to :be converted from door switch to light responsiveoperation, for example, a photorelay must be installed and the doorswitch removed or disconnected. Due to a change in the surrounding area,relocation of the booth, seasonal changes or the like, such a conversionmay be desred.

Accordingly, it is the main object of the invention to provide anarrangement whereby a telephone booth is easily convertible as tocontrol of its lighting by either a door switch or light sensitivemeans.

According to the specific embodiments of the invention disclosedhereafter, there is provided an ordinary receptaele into which is merelyplugged the light fixture when it is to be controlled by a door switch.When Conversion to light responsive operation is desired, the fixture ismerely unplugged from the receptacle and `a photorelay is plugged intothe receptacle. Then the fixture is plugged into a receptacle in thephotorelay unit and the door switch wires disconnected at the terminalbox. .A light conducting rod, of translucent plastic, for example,provided in the booth wall conducts light to the photorelay and,depending on its sensitivity adjustment, as the daylight wanes andevening approaches the relay responds by completing an electric circuitto the lighting fixture to illuminate the same. A re-conversion to doorswitch operation is possible merely by unplugging and removing thephotorelay.

Fur ther objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the upper portion of a .telephonebooth representative of the type to which the invention is to beapplied;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-section of the booth, with its roofremoved, when the lighting is controlled by the door switch;

FIGURE 3 is a plan View of the booth, with its roof removed, when thelighting is controlled by the door switch;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the booth, with its roof removed, whenconverted to operate in response to the outdoor light intensity;

FIGURE 5 is a partial vertical cross-section of the structure shown in'FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a wiring diagram of a typical photorelay unit which may beused in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a diagram -llustrating the wiring of the booth to include aswitch for selection between lighting control 'by a door switch and by aphotorelay; and

FIGURE 8 is a partial plan view of the corner of -a difierent type ofbooth wherein the invention has been applied with slight modification.

The telephone booth 2 illustrated in FIGURE 1 is of the fairlyconventional type having a door 4 and translucent sign panels 6 adaptedto be illuminated from behind. Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, which showa booth which has had its root 8 removed, the slides *10 have fianges1.2 from which a false ceiling 14 is supported. An access door 16 havinga translucent glass or plastic panel 18 is hinged in the ceiling 14 andis associated with positionin linkage generally indicated at 20 andwhich forms no part of the present invention.

A box 2 houses a conventional three-pole female receptacle 24 which isconnected to a terminal box 25 by electric conduit 26. A fitting 28 isprovided for lead in of electric power lines to the terminal box 25. 'Inthe upper right-hand corner of the booth (the front of the booth beingat `the left in -FlGURES 2 and 3) there is provided -a door switch 30which is electrically connected to the terminal box 25 by electricconduit 32. Mounted above panel 18 by clips 35 is a fluorescent light 34of the circular type. The light 34 is energized through an electricconduit 36 having a Strictly conventional three-pole male plug '38adapted to fit receptacle 24. The light 34 is plugged into receptacle 24and the circuit arrangement is -obviously simple, the light 34 andswitch 30 being connected in series, Whereby opening and closing of thedoor turns the light ofi and on, respectively. The fitting 40 isprovided as a lead-in for the telephone wires.

Referring -to FIGU RES 4 and 5, the basic structure is unchanged exceptthat a plug 38 has been disconnected from receptacle 24 and a photorelayunit 42 has been interposed therebetween. The photorelay 42 has electricoutput and input terminals comprising, respectively, a three-pole femalereceptacle 44 and a three-pole male plug 46, the former being adapted toreceive light fixture plug 38 and the latter being adapted to fitreceptacle 24. The photorelay 42 also has a window-like opening 48which, when the unit is plugged into receptacle 24, is opposite a lightconducting glass or plastic rod 50 inserted through the front side ofthe booth (PIGURE 1). The provison of a light conducting such as 50 isnot necessary, but is desirable in that greater sensitivity of a photorelay to outside light conditions is afforded.

It will be noted that in FIGURE 4 the conduit 32 leading to switch 30 isshown in broken lines to indicate that when photorelay 42 is interposedbetween plug 38 and receptacle 24 the lines of conduit 32 at theterminal box 24 are disconnected or completely removed, thus removingswitch 30 from operation. In cases where it is expected that numerousconversions and reconversions of the booth lighting system will be madefor operation in response either to 'daylight or door switch operation,a switch may be merely provided at` terminal box 24 to bypass electricconduit 32. The latter arrangement is illustrated in FIGURE 7, wherein amanually operated two-way switch is indicated at 41. Thus by the manualoperation of switch 41 door switch 30 may be disconnected from seriesrelationshi-p with light 34. When photorelay 42 is disconnected switch41 may be operated to re-connect door switch 30 to light 34. It will benoted that if door switch 30 is connected in the 'circuit of light 34when photorelay 42 is installed, the light will be turned on during darkhours only when the door is closed, which may be a desirable third modeof operation under certain conditions. As previously indicated theprovsion of switch 41 is merely optional; when switch 41 is not provideddoor switch '30 is merely connected (by Conduit 32) across terminals43'. When pho-torelay 42 is to be plugged in the door switch isdisconnected from terminals 43', which are then directly joined at theterminal box.

The photorelay 42, which may be a conventional cadmium-sul fide cell, issensitive to light intensity; and is conducting during the daylighthours. Referring to FIG- UR:E 6, there is shown a typical internalcircuit arrangement of a 'photorelay 42. The lnes 43 and 45 are adaptedto be connected to -two main 1'10 volt power lines. The middle wire 47of the three-pole arrangement is merely the usual additional safetyground wire. A potentiometer coil 49 is shunted across lines 43 and 45and has a 'sliding contact 52 for adjustment of sensitivity. The actuallight sensitive photoelectric tube is indicated at 54 and, whenconducting, energizes a relay coil 56 to open a normally closed switch58 in line 43. The bias voltage of tube 54, determning the tube`ssensitivity, may

, ducting with diminishing daylight.

Summing up the operation of FIGURES 1 to 7, therefore, the inventionprovides a convenient manner of selecting between control of thelighting *by a door switch or by light intensity. When it is desired toturn the lights on and off by operation of the door switch thephotorelay 42 is not provided, the plug 38 merely being inserted inreceptacle 24 and the door switch 30 remaining in series' connectionwith light 34. When it is desired to make the turning on and off of thelighting responsive to outside light intensity the photorelay 42 ismerely interposed between p1ug'38 and receptacle 24 and the wires 'ofconduit 32 are disconnected or removed at the terminal box 24.Alternatively, a previously installed switch such as the switch 41 shownin FIGURE 7 may be operated to disconnect the door switch. An evenfurther possible method of disconnecting the door switch is topermanently or semi pe'rmanently close the switch 30 so that it will notopen upon opening of the door, or rather will remain closed irrespectiveof door operation. i

Referring to FIGURE 8, the invention is there shown as applied to a'telephone booth having a more confined 'corner space. A booth havingsuch a corner structure is also being used to a considerable extent andthere 'arses the 'problem of fitting the photorelay into the availablespace. FIGURE 8 s a plan View of the upper 're`a'r 'right-hand corner,'which comprises a pair of 'side 'panele 64 and 66 with a bra'cket '68'for reinforcing a i panel '70. The panel 70 spans the corner 'and isprovided 'form'ounting of the telephone, the 'space 71 there- "ouslydescribed. In this receptacle 74 may be plugged a'ph'ot'orelay 42'having :a female receptacle 44' adapted to receive a male plug 38', anda window-like opening 48'. 'Ilac aforementioned numbers bearing a primeit will be noted, correspond to elements of the photorelay bearingcorresponding reference numerals in FIGURES 4 and 5. In other words, aphotorelay used in accordance with FIGURE 8 is the same as that used ina telephone booth structure according to FIGURES 3 to 7. It will benoted also that in the corner structure of FIGURE 8 'the space in whichphotorelay 42' may be placed is not large. Accordingly, there isprovided a light conducting rod 76 which is shaped rather diiferentlyfrom the rod 5%). This light conducting rod, which is of translucentglass or plastic, has -been shaped to accommodate the positioning ofphotorelay 42' in that the end 78' has been cut at a 45 angle andpreferably is provided with a refiecting material at 73, whereby lightwill be conducted and reected directly through opening 48' to operatethe photorelay 42'. Light conducting means may be cut and formed invarious configurations to conduct light to a photorelay in practicallyany space and position in which it must be mounted. Regarding furtherthe light conducting rod 76 (and 50) the acrylic resins are highlysatisfactory light conducting materials, Lucite being a specific examplein this group.

It will be understood that various departures from the particularlydisclosed embodiments of the invention may be made 'without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined by the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In a telephone booth having a door, an electrc supply outlet, a doorswitch, a photorelay, a light fixture, said outlet, photorelay andfixture being connected in a series cincuit, means operable to connectsaid door switch in series with said fixture and outlet for controllingenergization of said fixture, means facilitating insertion and removalof said photorelay from said circuit comprising a male and female plugconnection at the fixture side of the photorelay and a second similarmale and female plug connection at the outlet side of the photorelay,said plug connections being connected in series with said photorelay,and said first-mentioned means also being operable to disconnect saiddoor switch from said circuit While said photorelay is connectedtherein, the photorelay having a switch in said circuit which is closedupon decrease of light intensity to `a predetermined minimum, and alight conducting elementin an opening in a wall of the booth, saidphotorelay being mounted within the booth in a position to receive lightconducted by said element when said photorelay is connected in saidseries circuit, said outlet being arranged to be connected directly tosaid fix- '-ture when said photorelay is not connected in series withsaid outlet andsaid fixture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,25`6,595 Metcalf Sept. 23, 1941 2,625,300 Saxe Jan. 13, 1953 2,749,429Wavell June 5, 1956 2,776,364 Daniels Jan. 1, 1957 2,821,038 Gee Jan.28, 1958 2,881,306 Sherron Apr. 7, 1959 2,883,796 Reveka Apr. 28, 19592,90l,593 McNally Aug. 25, 1959 2,967,981 Wise Jan. 10, 1961

